<Muzeum v Brtnici vystavuje repliky nábytku Josefa Hoffmanna> translates to <The museum in Brtnice presents replicas of furniture by Josef Hoffmann>

Brtnice (Jihlava Region) - In addition to the permanent exhibition showcasing the work of the significant designer and architect Josef Hoffmann, visitors to his birthplace in Brtnice, Jihlava Region, can also view a temporary exhibition of replicas of furniture made according to Hoffmann's designs. The exhibition opened to the public last weekend and will run until the end of May. Alena Krkošková, curator of the Josef Hoffmann Birthplace, informed ČTK on behalf of the Moravian Gallery in Brno.
   The replicas of Hoffmann's furniture, which are still produced by some Austrian companies, were installed by the staff of the Moravian Gallery in currently empty rooms for the first time. "These are not originals, but contemporary replicas. Hoffmann has influenced contemporary industrial production, and design companies continue to return to his designs," Krkošková said.
   Visitors to the Brtnice museum can see, for example, the well-known Hoffmann design from 1905 for a chair titled Sitzmaschine, No.: 93012, whose photographs are often published in art and design magazines.
   In June, the exhibition will be replaced by a seasonal exhibition titled Collegiality and Controversy, dedicated to the works of Hoffmann and his collaborators. "Through drawings, photographs, and texts, the exhibition will highlight the collegial yet conflicting relationships between Hoffmann and his compatriots," added Krkošková.
   The Josef Hoffmann Birthplace in Brtnice is also part of a new tourist trail project called "In the Footsteps of Modernity." It leads from Jihlava through Brno to Vienna and connects places associated with the stories of artistic personalities, such as Josef Hoffmann, Gustav Mahler, Dušan Jurkovič, and Leoš Janáček. The route was created in collaboration with the Moravian Gallery, the South Moravian Tourism Authority, and the Austrian Museum of Contemporary Art in Vienna. It guides tourists to places where significant individuals were born and worked.
   Josef Hoffmann is among the most significant world architects and designers of the first half of the 20th century. He was born on December 15, 1870, in Brtnice in a house located on today's Freedom Square. Today, the house houses the Museum of Josef Hoffmann, which is a joint workspace of the Moravian Gallery in Brno and the MAK - Austrian Museum of Applied and Contemporary Art in Vienna.
   Hoffmann's work significantly influenced the development of architecture and design in the 20th century. He studied architecture at the Vienna Academy under Karl von Hasenauer and Otto Wagner. In 1897, he co-founded the Association of Visual Artists of Austria — Secession with Gustav Klimt and other artists. A pivotal moment in his career was the establishment of the arts and crafts workshops Wiener Werkstätte in 1903. He was involved in nearly all fields of the arts and crafts: designing glass, porcelain, metals, jewelry, furniture, and textile collections.
   Hoffmann often returned to Brtnice. In 1907, he renovated his family home and gradually transformed it into a space concentrating examples of his work. However, in 1945 the house was confiscated and fell into disrepair for a long time. The city of Brtnice took care of the reconstruction in 2003, and the building now belongs to them; the Moravian Gallery has managed the museum since 2006.